For some reason, I'm pretty good with switching up my mental button stack depending on which controller I'm holding. That said, there are some switch games (like dark souls) that uses the bottom face button as confirm and the right face button as cancel, and because I'm using the switch, that really screws me up.
Same. I switch between controllers easily, but playing Axiom Verge on Switch messed with me for the same reason, they didn't separate menu controls from gameplay controls so the bottom B button acts as "confirm"
There are some patterns. Like, I played god of war PC and ragnarok on playstation. So I already know what position button does what.
There are control conventions. So oftentimes you don't need to look at the button as the same position button does the same thing in all devices, like the south button in "jump" in platformers.
Same, the only time I had problems was with the first Nintendo console I owned, which was the 3DS, and I got completely used to it by the time I got a Switch. I grew up with a Sega Genesis then Playstation 1+2 and PC/Xbox games and never had an issue switching between mental control schemes. Even the bottom-vs-right "OK" button differences aren't an issue for me anymore.
Yeah, the controllers are all shaped differently, so thats what my brain tied muscle memory too. Speaking of, the texture they used on switch pro 2 controller's plastic feels heavenly compared to the ps5 and Series.
I'm also pretty good at switching it up, except in the specific case of any time a game has some sort of quick time event like a rhythm game, where you need to quickly press the right button. Something about the pressure of beeding to get it right in a short time frame short circuits my memory
I grew up with the SNES, then we had a ps1 and N64, then we were Xbox from the OG to Xbox one (we swapped the OG Xbox for our neighbors PS2 for like a year as well), then i went PC (and Switch 1 and 2). Ive got muscle memory for all controllers.
Pretty much the same here. I use multiple different controllers and different consoles, and play many different types of games with completely different controls. It mentally clicks faster and I get quickly reacquainted with game controls easily even if I haven't played in ages.
But like you kinda mentioned, some things take a little bit longer to readjust to, like Sniper Elite for example, the interact buttons to loot and stuff is changed between some installments, and it takes me messing up at least a couple times to get it right again.
Also games like Halo, some different installments in the series have wildly different controls, and it takes a couple minutes to get fully reacquainted again. I noticed this is mostly the case in games that look and feel similar to each other. Like it will take me a moment to get reacquainted with the controls on different Sniper Elite games and Halo games, but also games like Shadow of Mordor, because it feels so similar to Assassin's Creed to me.
But most games, even if I switch systems and controllers, the muscle memory kicks in and it's just automatic. It's funny sometimes, a friend will ask "what button do I need to press to do this", and I don't know even if I'm a veteran in the game. I have to usually pause for awhile, and think about what controller I'm using, and what button symbols I'm using. I guess it's like how when some people are fluent in another language, they don't have to think about the translation in their head, it's just second nature and automatic now.
I picked up a game recently that I haven't played in almost 15 years, and the muscle memory for the controls activated instantly, I didn't even need a refresher. Muscle memory is an amazing thing. Sometimes you just gotta trust. Like when I played the guitar for the first time in 15 years. I couldn't remember the notes, the chords, the finger placement, or anything. But I could feel that my fingers were itching to play those songs again from years ago. I was looking at my finger placement to try to remember, but I wasn't successful until I closed my eyes and just let the muscle memory take over. I almost couldn't believe that actually worked.
I love muscle memory. Sometimes if you try and think too hard, you won't get it right. Sometimes your body already knows what to do, so trust it, go with that feeling, and don't think about it. Your muscles remember things pretty well, and if you think about it too much, you might make more mistakes.
I'm getting old. More often than not, if I intentionally try to pull off certain combos and such by thinking about the inputs, but I keep messing up. But if I stop trying to command my body with my mind and just let the muscles do something that was naturally easy to me before, I'm more successful.
Maybe I'm weird. But try walking normally while you're actively thinking about how to take each step. Maybe you'll understand where I'm coming from.
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u/blueberrycinnamon 3h ago
For some reason, I'm pretty good with switching up my mental button stack depending on which controller I'm holding. That said, there are some switch games (like dark souls) that uses the bottom face button as confirm and the right face button as cancel, and because I'm using the switch, that really screws me up.